Why Darwin Nunez is getting WORSE under Arne Slot

Liverpool are firing on all cylinders this season and it’s turned from a nice start into a league and European challenge.

They are, by all purposes, the best team in the world right now. And although there have been some scrappy performances of late (Southampton, Newcastle and Girona come to mind), you can’t argue with the results.

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Mo Salah is the best player in the world. Ryan Gravenberch has turned into a world class midfielder. Curtis Jones is in the form of his life. Virgil van Dijk is doing what he ever does. Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz have enjoyed spells of goalscoring form.

Darwin Nunez, however, is having his worst season yet on Merseyside. And much like new head coach Arne Slot is the reason for the other players’ uptick in form, his football could well be to blame for Darwin’s drop-off.

As explained in this piece by Sam McGuire for Sporting Life, Liverpool’s attacking system changed when Darwin Nunez was signed.

Former manager Jurgen Klopp aimed to create a high volume of chaotic transitional moments for Nunez to exploit. By and large, it worked. And, importantly, it was similar to what Slot was doing at Feyenoord.

But at Liverpool, Slot is coaching a patient attacking phase alongside exploiting attacking transitions by getting the ball as often as possible to Mo Salah.

It has reaped rewards. Obviously.

But Salah’s gain is very much Nunez’s loss. The Uruguayan is now playing in a role that doesn’t really suit him.

How Arne Slot has changed Darwin Nunez

He’s averaging 2.32 shots per-90 this season, over half down from 4.71 last season. Naturally, his expected goals are doing the same - 0.3 per-90 now compared to 0.72 last season. His expected assisted goals are also down to 0.09 per-90 this season from 0.26 last year.

Obviously, from his volume decreasing dramatically, so does his actual output. He has three goals and two assists in 19 games this season - 11 of which were starts - and is currently five games into a goalless run.

But just look at those defensive numbers. 2.17 tackles and interceptions per-90 this season compared to 1.1 under Klopp, with 1.59 attempted tackles per-90 now as opposed to only 1.01 last season.

It’s a clear indication that what Slot wants from the central attacker in this system is vastly different to what Klopp did. Nunez leads the press and is relied upon to finish less, largely because his finishing is more erratic.

Slot is reducing reliance on variance and Liverpool are currently benefiting.

Darwin Nunez, however, is doing anything but.

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